The automotive industry is moving towards a greener future, with bans on new gas-powered cars looming across Europe. Many automakers, including Volkswagen, are aiming for more than 70% of their sales to come from electric vehicles by 2030.
But to truly make the automotive industry sustainable, a greater shift needs to take place. We need to go beyond zero emission cars. The entire supply chain, from manufacturing to the powering network, must be as sustainable as the cars themselves.
Carmakers like Volkswagen plan to be a fully carbon-neutral company by 2050, and Mercedes is targeting a fully neutral passenger car fleet by 2039. However, achieving sustainability is not just about the physical car– it’s also about the software that runs them.
Software-Powered Sustainability
“When I was young,” said Cubic3 CEO Barry Napier in an interview at this year’s IAA conference in Munich, “I wanted a loud exhaust and high brake horsepower. The next generation want to know ‘Does it connect to my phone?’ and ‘What applications are in it?’”
Software is quickly becoming the defining feature of modern vehicles, but it’s more than just entertainment and connectivity. The software will play a far greater role in making the cars of tomorrow more eco-friendly.
For example, in-car charging software will enable more efficient and economical charging. When you plug your car in to charge at home, the car will schedule charging at a time when there is less demand on the energy grid. It will also be able to learn your driving habits, and charge in a pattern that extends battery life, reducing excessive battery wear.
Cars will also get regular software updates to improve performance, just like the phones and laptops we use every day. These over-the-air (OTA) updates will be able to improve battery and motor efficiency. Cubic3’s connected software allows carmakers to remotely access their vehicles, push OTA firmware or software updates, and collect data from the vehicles. This means vehicles become better-equipped as they age, and ensuring OEMs can continuously improve vehicle efficiency, comply with global regulations, and help OEMs reach their Carbon Neutral goals.
Reducing Waste with Software Upgrades
Relying on software for performance improvements will also reduce the amount of waste generated from old parts. Instead of replacing mechanical parts, carmakers can simply add new code. For instance, you can improve a car’s acceleration with software rather than changing valves and camshafts, meaning manufacturers and modifiers won’t be lumbered with unused spare parts.
Data Centre Dilemmas
Electric and connected cars promise benefits for the environment, but it’s important to remember that emissions and sustainability go way beyond the exhaust pipe (or lack thereof).
As cars rely more on the internet and connectivity, they will also require more processing power from data centres around the world. It’s essential that these data centres are powered sustainably and for the world’s automakers to ensure that their entire business operations are carbon neutral and sustainable. After all the advances that have been made in alternative fuels, it would be remiss of automakers to undo them all by relying on fossil fuels to power their data centres.
The requires cooperation on the part of governments and energy companies, not just automakers. Governments around the world must work to improve the sustainability of energy creation, ensuring that clean energy powers the data centres that keep connected cars on the road.
The Circle of Sustainability
When automakers, governments, and consumers align their efforts, sustainability can become a self-reinforcing cycle.
OTA updates can reduce the demand on the energy grid and lessen the need for replacement parts. This lower demand will make it easier to transition the energy grid to renewable sources. As the energy grid becomes greener, new electric cars will become even more eco-friendly, further reducing emissions.
The shift from hardware-defined vehicles to software-defined vehicles will be transformative for the industry. The potential benefits far outweigh any potential challenges – especially when sustainability is a top priority mind.
Cubic3 are OEM-independent and have experience helping OEMs from across the transport landscape on the journey to carbon-neutrality, while pushing innovation towards a more sustainable form of mobility.
